Electric Propulsion and Dynamic Positioning Significantly Improve the Total Performance of a Ship

In 1935, the Nomandie won the Blue Ribbon for a transatlantic crossing at 30.31 knots, with a 120,000kW electric propulsion system supplied by ALSTOM. Since then, the advance of power electronics mainly in the field of AC drives has allowed more ships to befitted with electric propulsion. This paper describes the ALSTOM products used in the Diesel-electric propulsion system, Mermaid Pod system, dynamic positioning system and their influences on the ship performances.